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US 10,238,958 B2Granted
Tangible tradable collectibles having a digital copy
AssigneeSony Interactive Entertainment America LLC
InventorKen Inagaki
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Tradable physical collectible objects are described. In particular, systems and methods for using the tradable physical collectible objects facilitate generation of a digital copy that can be used within a network game. A user can use the digital copy and perform various modifications to the digital copy. A value can be determined for the digital copy based on the various modifications. At a later date, the user (e.g., owner) is free to give away, sell or trade the digital copy to another party in transaction with terms based on, for example, the determined value of the digital copy.
Claims20
A system for transforming a physical object for use within a digital environment, the system comprising:
- a physical object that is associated with a unique identification code;
- a graphics processing unit that generates a digital copy of the physical object based on an associated set of codes, wherein the generated digital copy is presented within the digital environment of a network game and assigned to a player of the network game, the player associated with the unique identification code;
- a client device that connects to the digital environment of the network game in which the digital copy is presented, wherein the client device receives customization input from the player selecting one or more modifications to the digital copy, wherein each modification is associated with a corresponding value;
- a collectible database that stores:
- the associated set of codes,
- information regarding an account associated with the player, wherein the player account includes the unique identification code associated with the physical object and the digital copy as modified in accordance with the player customization input, and
- an ownership history of the digital copy, wherein the ownership history is associated with a reward that is assigned to the player after the digital copy is subsequently transferred to a different player;
- a network game server comprising a communication interface that subsequently receives the unique identification code over a communication network;
- and
- a processor that executes instructions stored in memory to:
- retrieve the modified digital copy from the collectible database based on the unique identification code,
- provide the retrieved digital copy for inclusion in the network game, wherein the digital copy is tradable to other users within the network game based on a total value of the modifications selected for the digital copy, and
- assign the reward to the player in accordance with the ownership history after the digital copy is subsequently transferred to the different player.
10 more elements
A method for transforming a physical object for use within a digital environment, the method comprising:
- associating a physical object with a unique identification code;
- generating a digital copy of the physical object based on an associated set of codes stored in a collectible database, wherein the generated digital copy is presented within the digital environment of a network game and assigned to a player of the network game, the player associated with the unique identification code;
- connecting to the digital environment of the network game in which the digital copy is presented via a client device, wherein the client device receives input from the player selecting one or more modifications to the digital copy, wherein each modification is associated with a corresponding value;
- storing information regarding an account associated with the player and an ownership history of the digital copy, wherein the player account includes the unique identification code associated with the physical object and the digital copy as modified in accordance with the player customization input, and wherein the ownership history is associated with a reward that is assigned to the player after the digital copy is subsequently transferred to a different player;
- receiving the unique identification code over a communication network;
- retrieving the modified digital copy from the collectible database based on the unique identification code;
- providing the retrieved digital copy for inclusion in the network game, wherein the digital copy is tradable to other users within the network game based on a total value of the modifications selected for the digital copy;
- and
- assigning the reward to the player in accordance with the ownership history after the digital copy is subsequently transferred to the different player.
6 more elements
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, having embodied thereon a program executable by a processor to perform a method for transforming a physical object for use within a digital environment, comprising:
- associating a physical object with a unique identification code;
- generating a digital copy of the physical object based on an associated set of codes stored in a collectible database, wherein the generated digital copy is presented within the digital environment of a network game and assigned to a player of the network game, the player associated with the unique identification code;
- connecting to the digital environment of the network game in which the digital copy is presented via a client device, wherein the client device receives input from the player selecting one or more modifications to the digital copy, wherein each modification is associated with a corresponding value;
- storing information regarding an account associated with the player and an ownership history of the digital copy, wherein the player account includes the unique identification code associated with the physical object and the digital copy as modified in accordance with the player customization input, and wherein the ownership history is associated with a reward that is assigned to the player after the digital copy is subsequently transferred to a different player;
- receiving the unique identification code over a communication network;
- retrieving the modified digital copy from the collectible database based on the unique identification code;
- providing the retrieved digital copy for inclusion in the network game, wherein the digital copy is tradable to other users within the network game based on a total value of the modifications selected for the digital copy;
- and
- assigning the reward to the player in accordance with the ownership history after the digital copy is subsequently transferred to the different player.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.